BY Zee Lugard
RESIDENTS and students in Agbor, Ika South Local Government Area of Delta State, have called on both the Federal and state governments to quickly address the growing hunger and economic hardship in the country, which has been exacerbated by the consistent rising costs of petrol.
Speaking to The Pointer, a resident, Mr. Amara lamented that due to the rising costs of petrol, which ranges between ₦1,050 and ₦1,300 per liter in some of the petrol stations, transportation fares around the area have surged threefold, making daily commuting almost unbearable for both locals and students, who have resorted to trekking to get around.
He expressed his frustration, while recounting a recent personal encounter where he was asked to pay ₦2,000 for a motorcycle ride from Owa Alero roundabout to Owa Ekei—a short distance. Which he described as absolutely crazy. He further stated that much to his dismay, the bike rider quoted ₦4,000 for a round trip.
Similarly, another resident complained about the exorbitant cost of getting a bike from Owa-Alero roundabout to other areas .
According to the resident, a motorcycle ride from the junction to Mother and Child Hospital Junction, which used to be a N300 fare, the fare has risen to more than 150 per cent now to 800 naira. While For longer distances, such as Owa-Alero to Agbor-Obi, fares have increased to 2,500 naira with further incremental adjustments for trips extending to Ewuru.
Meanwhile for students, the situation was particularly dire. Many have expressed deep concern over the unsustainable transportation costs, with some unsure how they will afford to move from their houses to their lecture halls on campus, religious activities in church, or even the market. A few students described the rising prices as “draining,” noting that the cost of transport, combined with cost of food and other sundry expenses, was beginning push many of them to the brink—especially those not from privileged backgrounds.
With the lingering fuel crisis, which has led to long queues at petrol stations, and people wasting several man-hours to buy fuel despite the high prices.
There is a growing call for the government to intervene by providing cheaper transportation alternatives, such as Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) powered tricycles and shuttle buses. The limited availability of such services has only compounded the hardship for the students and residents of Agbor.
Even travel between Agbor and nearby cities, such as Asaba, has become more difficult and uncomfortable. Passengers report being packed into buses “like sardines” as transport operators attempt to minimize losses by carrying more passengers than usual. Both passengers and conductors are left to endure uncomfortable journeys as they navigate this transportation crisis.
